Five Reasons to Go Gluten Free (or at Least Cut Back)

Five Reasons to Go Gluten Free (or at Least Cut Back)

According to Mayoclinic.org:

“Celiac disease is an immune reaction to eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye.

If you have celiac disease, eating gluten triggers an immune response in your small intestine. Over time, this reaction produces inflammation that damages the small intestine’s lining and prevents absorption of some nutrients (malabsorption).”

While you may not have celiac disease or even a gluten intolerance, there is still a lot of evidence of real health issues associated with consuming gluten. The genetically altered and heavily processed grains and wheat are definitely not your grandmother’s purer version, and now people are consuming enormous amounts of it in the form of bread, pizza, ice cream, soy sauce – and thousands of more food items that we eat.

If you’re not sure about whether a lower gluten diet is right for you and your family, think about these five reasons for going gluten free (or at least cutting back):

1. You may be gluten intolerant and not even know it: Gluten has been associated with many problems including digestive problems and migraines.

2. Regain balance: Gluten is everywhere. You can find it in bread, pizza, soy sauce, salad dressings, ketchup – even in spices, beer, your medication and some cosmetics. The average American consumes approximately 133 pounds of wheat a year and wheat makes up about 75 percent of our carb intake.

3. Lose weight: Recent studies have shown that gluten is associated with weight gain and obesity. Gluten is considered a “super carbohydrate” and is converted to blood sugar more efficiently than almost any other carb food, resulting in glucose (and insulin) being released into the bloodstream. Insulin helps your body to convert glucose to fat, resulting in more fat being deposited.

4. Ward off diseases. The rise of gluten intake coincides with the increase in occurrences of many diseases such as autism and ADHD. Gluten consumption may be linked to these and a large number of other diseases such as diabetes and, heart disease. These relationships between gluten and disease are still being studied, but it might be safer to consider reducing your family’s gluten intake until all the evidence is in.

5. Improve your mental health: Several studies link Celiac disease with issues in the nervous system and dementia. There have also been several studies over the last 60

years that show a connection between high gluten consumption and patients with Schizophrenia.

It’s worth a try to go without gluten, or at least cut back for 60 days to see if there is any improvement in your general health. There are many gluten free choices nowadays, and in fact, many attendees at the recent Gluten Free & Allergen Free Expo in San Francisco reported being pleasantly surprised to discover all the gluten free food choices available.

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Shannon Jennewein: sfbeachstreetgrill.com/. Visit the website above For more information on gluten free living or dining out in San Francisco gluten free restaurants.